UC Tuition 2026-27: What Each UC Campus Really Costs

University of California guide · Updated September 29, 2026

UC tuition for California residents who start in Fall 2026 is $15,588 a year in systemwide tuition and the student services fee, the same at every campus. Campus fees add several hundred to several thousand dollars more, and most campuses also charge student health insurance unless you waive it. Nonresidents pay an extra $39,270 in Nonresident Supplemental Tuition. With housing, a year on campus costs about $45,000 to $55,000 before aid.

How much is UC tuition? The short answer is $15,588 for new California residents in 2026-27. The full answer depends on three layers: systemwide tuition that’s the same everywhere, campus fees that vary by campus, and living costs that vary even more.

This guide breaks down each layer with official 2026-27 numbers from every undergraduate UC campus, explains the Tuition Stability Plan that locks your rate, and shows how aid lowers the real price.

How Does UC Tuition Work?

University of California tuition is set systemwide by the UC Board of Regents, so the base rate is the same at Berkeley, UCLA, Merced and every other campus. For undergraduates who start in 2026-27, systemwide tuition is $14,202 and the student services fee is $1,386, for $15,588 a year.

Each campus then adds its own campus-based fees for things like student centers, recreation, transit and student government, plus a student health insurance charge that most campuses let you waive if you have comparable coverage. Nonresidents pay Nonresident Supplemental Tuition on top of everything else.

What Is UC In-State Tuition?

UC in-state tuition is the $15,588 in systemwide tuition and fees paid by California residents who start in 2026-27, before campus fees. Residency for tuition purposes is decided by UC’s residency rules, which generally require that you (or, for dependent students, your parents) have lived in California for more than a year and intend to stay. Living in California only to attend school usually doesn’t qualify.

What Is UC Out-of-State Tuition?

Out-of-state and international students pay the same systemwide tuition and fees plus $39,270 in Nonresident Supplemental Tuition for 2026-27. That brings nonresident tuition and systemwide fees to $54,858 a year before campus fees, and total nonresident budgets to roughly $84,000 to $94,000 a year with housing.

How Much Is UC Tuition Per Year at Each Campus?

Systemwide tuition is identical everywhere, but campus fees, health insurance and living costs differ. The table shows each campus’s published tuition and fees and on-campus cost of attendance for new California residents.

So which UC is cheapest? For tuition, the differences come down to campus fees and health charges. For total cost, housing matters most: Berkeley and Santa Barbara have the highest on-campus budgets, while UC Irvine, UCLA and UC Riverside are near the low end.

“Families often compare UC campuses by tuition, but tuition is nearly the same everywhere. The real difference is housing and food, which can swing a budget by close to $10,000 a year. Compare full cost of attendance, and remember that living at home near a campus is by far the biggest savings.”

CalChannel Editorial Team

Has UC Tuition Been Increasing?

Yes, but under a predictable system. The UC Regents approved the Tuition Stability Plan on July 22, 2021. Under the plan, tuition is set for each new entering class, and that rate stays flat for up to six years for students in that cohort. Each new class starts at a higher rate than the one before.

What does that mean for you? If you enroll in Fall 2026, you’ll pay $15,588 in systemwide tuition and fees every year for up to six years. Campus fees, housing and health insurance are not frozen and can rise each year.

How Financial Aid Lowers UC Cost

Most California families pay less than the published price. UC says most California families earning up to $100,000 receive enough grant and scholarship aid to cover UC tuition under its Blue and Gold commitment. Cal Grant A covers up to $15,588 in systemwide tuition and fees for eligible students entering in 2026-27 (Cal Grant B covers it from the second year, plus a $1,648 Access Award), Pell Grants help with living costs, and the Middle Class Scholarship helps families with higher incomes.

To get this aid, file the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application by March 2 and use each campus’s net price calculator. For a broader look at college costs, see our guides to cost of attendance and how to pay for college.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line on UC Tuition

UC tuition for new California residents is $15,588 a year in 2026-27, locked in for up to six years. Campus fees add several hundred to several thousand dollars, and housing brings the full on-campus budget to about $45,000 to $55,000. Nonresidents pay an additional $39,270.

Use each campus’s cost of attendance, not tuition alone, when comparing UC options, and file for aid early. Our University of California guide compares admission and cost at every campus.